The Legend of Zelda :True Darkness
by Marickiya
Summary: Link, after defeating Ganon, was sent back in time to relive his lost years. Now he has come back seven years later to hear some disturbing news. He decided to settle down in his old home but it seems someone is looking for him without them knowing it. R


2 Dread

"We need to make preparations," came the deep, commanding voice. The person to whom he had been talking to sighed.

"As you wish Sire."

"We'll have no celebration. Not for this," he continued as he looked down. A single tear protruded down the length of his cheek and then disappeared into his bushy mustache. There the king of Hyrule wept.

"I'm sorry Sire," came Sheik's voice softly as he left his chamber to leave the king be. He shut the door quietly upon his leaving and started down the hall.

'_I can't believe this,'_ Sheik thought to himself. The situation would definitely put the king in a weak state. _'But then again, he is taking this rather well,'_ was a side thought.

Sheik lingered down the hall for half an hour on deciding preparations. He gave up on that though and concluded a break in the market would help him.

'_I feel so badly for the king…'_

_--_

'_No body seems to recognize me here,'_ thought Vaati as he sat under a tree near the gates to Lake Hylia; so said the sign by the gates. He guessed, though, that a lake was nearby before reading the sign for the smell of salt water hung in the air beyond the canyon wall. His nose was as sharp as ever, thought he.

'_How far have I been wandering around this place,'_ he asked himself as he looked at the sky for any signs of the time. The sun was hanging near the western border of the red land he saw. Night was approaching fast.

"Well no use in more traveling. I'll just camp out here," he said to no one in particular then folded his arms behind his head as he lay back.

_A black Abyss…_

"_What?"_

_Sudden light…_

_Vaati covered his face with his arm until his eyes adjusted to the glare. When he looked around, he knew exactly where he was._

_Hyrule castle lay before him like a morsel awaiting its devouring fate. He gazed at it sadly._

"_Why was this mine," he asked himself. What was all this to him? Why did he need it so?_

_The world around him shifted itself around him to face the garden entranceway. He watched as a gray mist hovered between the gate's posts. He watch it lazily, wondering if it had any significance. It had none for the longest time, for it just stayed situated between the posts. _

_Vaati, after a few minutes of pointless staring at the mist, decided to take a step forward. When he did though, nothing happened. He took another step, and still nothing. _

_He got so far as in touching distance of the material before he stopped. _

_Out of sheer curiosity, he reached toward to the substance. Still nothing…_

_He then thrust his whole arm into the mist._

_Not anything changed as his arm rested in place for a few moments then fell to his side once more._

_When his arm stopped swinging, though, the area around him seemed to thicken with nothing he could see. He looked around aimlessly in anything but a panic. The palace garden was fogging over with a green watery haze. Vaati's gaze was brought back to the mist once again. He looked just in time to watch as a pulse emanated from the surrounding impression. Vaati, a little intrigued, took a step back this time. _

_Another pulse and Vaati was given a reason for another back step. The mist however showed that the move was unnecessary. A 'boom' sound akin to a beat of a drum filled the garden and resonated in his ears, and Vaati was sent reeling backwards to the place where he began the odd dream. It was rare, though, that he knew he was having a dream. But he knew it was a dream._

_After landing on the ground in the very center of the garden, he picked himself up to meet his foe. The green mist, for it had changed colour, shuddered ominously as to red slits formed into the nothingness._

_Vaati shifted around uneasily._

_The mist's red eyes pierced him thoroughly. It was hard for Vaati to keep his eyes from looking away._

_The mist hovered still with a shudder as a mouth formed into a wicked smile just under the red slits. Then everything appeared to speed up and the rest of a body emerged from the mist. No. It was the mist taking a shape. That however didn't matter compared to one fact. Vaati knew who the mist had transformed into. _

_A silver sword with a brilliantly coloured gold hilt appeared within the figure's hand, the lop-sided grin only growing wider with malevolence. Vaati squinted in hatred for his downfall, Link, stood before him appearingly laughing at Vaati for his failure. _

_Vaati quickly rose to his feet expecting anything. Except for what was going to happen…_

_Link started to run forward, toward the sorcerer. Vaati began to draw upon the magic that held him intact with the world, but something was missing. His being seemed to be missing…_

"_Wait," he thought to himself as he looked to down at his right hand. He moved his head downward but his hand refused to budge. _

'Well, that's certainly not good,'_ he thought sarcastically to himself. Angry, he jerked up and saw something that gave him serious déjà vu._

_What he saw in Link's eyes…_

_It was then at that instant, that Vaati was truly scared. If that's what you call it…_

_In Link's eyes, was a sort of daze with only one purpose, to destroy. And Vaati had a pretty good idea of what he was intent on destroying. He remembered this scene taking place once before. _

_Weakened from battle, Vaati lay powerless. All he could've done was watch helplessly as Link charged him down. Just like now. He stood there unable to move while the 'hero' charged at him. He was going to relive this terror once more…_

_Link with his glazed eyes full of malice and hate, ran as if the very fires of hell were licking his heels. Vaati struggled to no avail._

"_Wait!" _

_Still Link ran…_

_Vaati knew what was to come._

"_NO!"_

"Not again!" he shouted sitting bolt upright from his slumber. Impulsively, he threw up a magical barrier; which is what he would've done had he not been so weak and possessed the inability to move. He sat there on the grass leaning against the tree for a quite some time, as he attempted to calm himself. Yet he still shuddered violently.

'_What is this?'_ he asked himself. Why was he frightened so of this dream…no, not the dream but of Link. He retched at the thought. How could someone like him, a sorcerer capable of mass destruction and calamity, be afraid of his one and only downfall. The experience of defeat for the first time…

After his breathing steadied, he let the barrier fall down to the grassy earth like a blue wave. He still was propped up against the tree and his eyes were closed. He scowled in the darkness.

"I am not frightened," he said out into the night air. None answered. Well, almost no one…

'_Having the bedtime jitters?'_

Vaati had forgotten about the voice before then so it was safe to say he was remotely surprised. His eyes shot open when the voice rung in his ears. Unlike before, the voice sounded more distinct, more real and less mental. It took him a second to fully recognize the voice.

"Maybe_," _he said rather sarcastically. The moment the voice entered his conscious, he became immediately frustrated. It irritated him for some unknown reason. And yet the whole time the voice seemed so familiar…

'_Wanna confide a little?' _the voice asked when Vaati remained silent.

"No, not really," confided Vaati. (Hark, hark, hark…)

'_Aw c'mon Vaati, tell me,' _it _whined._

'Well why not,' he asked himself. He needed to let off some steam anyway. A venting rant for a disembodied voice seemed about the right thing to do.

"Okay, well, how shall we start off," he began quite sarcastically. Somebody was about to be in for it.

He went on a tirade about how long it took just the planning part for the take-over and then the actual action. After years of putting up with the jabbing and bullying of his minish schoolmates, he volunteered for apprenticeship. A few more years of painstaking work of the becoming of a magician, he stole the minish cap. From an earlier failure, he took every precaution that came upon him. All of this to lead to anther failure plus his even earlier childhood, and the six year imprisonment, he was surprised he had not lost it and gone insane. He was either very patient, very bored with life itself.

'_Well, I haven't been here forever, so what happened to your parents?' _the voice said when Vaati broke off for a breath. He seemed crestfallen at the subject.

"My mother I think was a minish, but my father, he was human." he said. The voice didn't seem at all perturbed. Vaati sighed.

"My mother had fallen in love with him and asked my master for a spell to turn her human. Temporarily though."

'_My, my,' _was the reply to his sermon. Vaati rolled his eyes.

"Go away, then." The voice wouldn't hear of that.

'_But,-'_

Neither would Vaati.

"I said GO. BE GONE!" he shouted. His voice echoed across the grassy plains like a barren battle field. There was no response for his outburst. He wasn't disturbed again and fell back into a dreamless sleep.

--

A long pause followed Link's questioning statement. The person looked rather astounded to her the name. They couldn't find the right words it seemed for they stumbled in their words for a few minutes, then looked back up at Link.

"Who are you?"

Link frowned, crestfallen. Had Zelda forgotten him that quickly?

"What? Zelda it's me, Link," he said gesturing at himself. She just stared at him.

"Excuse me, but my name isn't Zelda," she said. Link was confused for a second then he realized something.

"Oh," he said, "you just don't want to attract too much attention to yourself now that everyone is back in town, right? I got it." But they just shook their head.

"No I mean it. My name isn't Zelda. My name is Sheik." they said calmly, yet also with a mixture of sadness and anger.

"But," he said to himself. Then he pondered hesitantly. He looked up again and said, "May I sit?"

Sheik nodded.

He sat and looked at 'Sheik.'

"What's going on? Where's Zelda?" he asked the boy. The boy just stared at Link and shook his head.

"I think I need to talk to you," he said then stood up. Link followed suite.

"Please, follow me," he said. Link blinked a few times then followed the Sheikah reluctantly.

They walked through the market and down toward the path that took Link to Zelda's private garden seven years before. As Link figured though, they bypassed that route and went to the gate. The guard from before still stood beside the gate, protecting the castle's inhabitants. Sheik walked up to him and conversed in a voice too inaudible for Link's keen ears. When the guard nodded, he walked over to a lever; which he pulled with a smile. Sheik walked back over to Link and motioned for him to follow again. They walked through the gate and up a path lined with more guards, to whom Sheik waved. Through the gate leading to drawn drawbridge, which had been opened, they went Sheik seemingly downcast and sighed quite a few times. Link was confused beyond all reason but for some cause, remained silent and followed Sheik without question. He had an unexplained trust for Sheik as he thought he knew him for most of his adventure in saving the world. But then why didn't he know Link from before. It must have been Zelda, he concluded. But still he trusted Sheik. The Sheik standing before him now anyway…

Sheik stopped before a door and gestured for Link to stop. He opened the door they had rested at and peered inside.

"Sire," he said. A grumble emerged from the inside; Link did not know its source.

"Y-yes? What is it Sheik?" came the voice again.

"I wonder if I might be able to enter with a guest." replied Sheik.

"Yes. Come in, come in," said the voice and the door opened a bit further. Sheik stood beside the open door and Link walked in.

He had set foot in a giant inside garden, complete with a pond and enormous sunroof. Link was in awed by the setting that he gaped upward not noticing the person on the other end of the garden sitting on a bench. Sheik had come up behind him and cleared his throat.

Link's gaze brought down, he finally saw the person sitting upon the bench to whom Sheik had walked over to. There sat the King of Hyrule.

"Hello," said the King grimly. Sheik sat himself next to him, and crossed his ankles.

"What," said Link after a long pause then seating himself across from Sheik and the king on an opposite bench, "did you want to tell me, Sheik?" The King looked at Sheik then at Link.

"Why is he here?"

"He might know of what happened to Zelda," he replied tersely.

"What?" asked Link looking from Sheik to the King. The king looked away after holding eye-contact for a few seconds.

"What happened to Zelda the last time you saw her and why did you think I was she?" asked Sheik meaningfully. Link answered confusedly.

"The last time I saw her," said Link, "was when she used her magic to restrain the evil king as she, the sages, and I sent him to the evil realm. And," he continued after the King and Sheik both gasped, "the reason I thought you were Zelda, was because she dressed herself as you in an attempt to conceal her identity from Ganondorf."

The simple explanation, put shocked faces on both the King and Sheik. Link still had no idea of the goings on.

"When did this happen?" asked the King.

"For me about seven years ago," he explained. Then told of his tale in Hyrule seven years ago with the master sword and the endeavored taking of the triforce before Ganon could.

"Then after returning to my original time, I escaped this Hyrule to prevent creating a time paradox the master sword had created. It was Zelda's idea, though. She made me promise not to come back until the seven years were up."

"I see," said Sheik after a few minutes of conversing with the King.

"You will be rewarded for your work, we are greatly in your debt." said the King with a courteous nod. With that cleared up, it was Link's turn for questioning.

"Okay, so what happened to Zelda where is she?" he looked expectantly at their sullen faces, searching for an answer. None came for a while. But then Sheik looked at the King and their gazes met. It looked as if he were asking the King for permission for something…

"Well?" Link asked again. Sheik hesitated.

"I'm sorry to say," said Sheik very slowly, yet dangerously, "but, Link," he looked down again.

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry to say that the princess, Zelda, is dead."

--

'_There,' _Marickiya saw her chance and swung her sword at the now unprotected flesh of her sword trainer. Her thin practice sword whizzed through the air toward its destination. But it never got there. Mikael, her master, quickly brought his sword around and blocked Marickiya's blow. Frustrated, Marickiya spun around and attempted another shot, but was blocked again. Mikael twirled his sword around Marickiya's and brought it down hard to where she was standing. But Mari sidestepped it and plunged into the fray again, landing a couple of small hits on Mikael. She was pleased with herself but before she could get anymore hits, Mikael swirled in a circle, moving his sword in a wide arc that he knew Mari could not dodge. Thinking fast, Mari's hand shot to her belt and unfastened a whip. She swung it up to meet the sword. She felt the familiar tug as the whip coiled around the play-sword. She yanked the whip down and, in an instant, her sword was at her master's torso. They stood there, both breathing hard. Mikael stood up straight and began to unwind Mari's whip from his sword.

"You've learned a lot," he was smiling. Mari was still a little tired but her breathing was beginning to steady. She nodded her thanks.

"You should use that whip more often. You probably don't realize it, but you're really good with it." Mikael was through removing her whip. Mari wasn't sure of whether to take his comment on her skill as a compliment or a snide remark. Though she was quite pleased with the way she handled her second weapon.

"Remember, keep a sword with you at all times. And a back-up weapon is also a good thing." Mikael bowed and began to walk to the room's only door.

"Master Mikael," Mari started. She put her sword by the door and hooked her whip to her belt again. Then she ran out of the room to catch up with Mikael, her bare feet smacking the marble floor.

"Yes, young one," he asked with a teasing giggle.

"Well I was wonder- Hey!" she shouted as she playfully hit her master in the arm. "You may be older than me, but only by seven years. Don't you 'Young one' me," Mari smiled as Mikael laughed at her.

"Anyways," Mari said with a smile, "I was wondering why do you think I'm good at the whip?"

"Well, your mother was one of those people who could wield any kind of weapon. She perfected in all fighting arts. She's the one who started this school." Mikael said thoughtfully.

"You knew my Mom?" Mari asked with hopeful eyes.

"I'm afraid I didn't know her personally, but I have seen her. She was very beautiful. And I've heard many stories of her doings. She was a successful woman." Mikael finished with a sigh.

Mari looked at the floor as they walked. "I wish I could have gotten to know her."

Mikael could see that this conversation, small though it was, was steering toward deep waters. He tried to lighten the mood.

"it's good the king regained his kingdom, nay," he started out with having no other subject. It was a very weak subject but it seemed Mari knew what he was trying to do and followed along.

"Yes, the training grounds haven't changed a bit. It was like Ganon was never here," she said with a half-smile.

"Yes, I missed coming here. Fleeing to Kakariko from the castle was nasty business. I'm glad to be back."

"How long have you been here," Mari asked as if ignoring his statement. He looked hurt slightly but regained his posture.

"I've been here since I was around the age of three. Mostly trained my whole life."

"Oh," she said. There was a silence that passed between them for a few minutes, but then Mari remembered something.

"Oh no! I just realized what time it is-"

"Gonna be late to writing, huh?"

"As usual," she replied as she rummaged through her stuff, putting away her whip.

"You never change."

"Don't plan to," she replied casually. He smiled at her.

"Well I'll see you then," Mikael said waving as Mari ran down the hall in a hurry to get to her next lesson.

Mari ran through the halls without really paying attention. She was thinking hard about something.

'_I've got an uneasy feeling about something, and think it has to do with that dream I keep having.'_

She couldn't figure why all of a sudden she was thinking about this; maybe it was Mikael. He had been a main part of the dream that had its meaning of nightmare. She dreaded having to watch her vision become real.

Her thought's were drawn away from her nightmare and back to reality by the opening of her next classroom door. To which a grumpy, old teacher who had it in for her awaited impatiently.

--

Stone silence.

Link felt many feelings come upon him at that moment, and they didn't comfort him in the least. After staring at Sheik for the longest time, he looked down in shock and started stuttered. Calming himself and attempting to keep from letting his feelings show (with difficulty), he asked a one word question that voiced many.

"How," he managed to squeak.

"We are not sure," replied Sheik. But he was then cut off by the King as he began to tell of the latest happening.

"We saw the castle from our hideout in Kakariko and left the very instant. On our way here, we saw a blue light erupt from the castle's direction-"

Link knew what that was but he didn't want to interrupt the King.

"When we arrived there," the King cut off and Link could only guess until he continued. Link also knew it was really hard for the King, he had been taking this very well…

The King heaved the greatest sigh Link had ever seen any Hylian accomplish, then started again.

"When we arrived there," he said, "there was nothing wrong at first. We pushed open the gate and it opened as if it were brand new. We were a bit surprised. But not as nearly…when we reached the steps that lead to the moat, there lay Zelda like she were asleep. Her head was laying on her arm and she was just sitting there on the steps. I was overjoyed when I first saw her, but I knew something was up." Link didn't think the King could finish, but he waited patiently nevertheless.

"She's gone," he finished. Link sighed heavily. The room rang with a resounding silence that almost no one could bare. Link resisted the urge to cover his ears, no matter what good it would done. Link's reality was a hazy stream of information that was unclear to him. He didn't fully understand that Zelda was dead. It just didn't click. He half expected to see her walk right in the door to chat with them all. Link was getting extremely anxious and suddenly exhausted. Reality was about to catch up to him followed by unwanted emotions. He honestly had no idea he had feelings for the Princess at all…

"May I be excused?" Link suddenly choked, making the King start.

"Yes. Will you attend?" asked the King. Link looked deep into hi cowardly stare. The King was broken on the inside and the almost unobservant Link could see it. Although the King was very vague about what he was to attend, Link had a pretty good idea of the occasion. It was a wonder the King could mention it without sobbing. He paused in thought, his depression and exhaustion showing in his eyes.

"Yes I will," said he. Then he left the room. As he shut the door, he heard a murmur of a voice, no doubt Sheik's, then heard a great sob burst behind the door. Link stopped for second, shut his eyes and ran away from the door as fast he could. Down the hall and through the easy to find entrance raced Link as he felt his breathing stop completely by the giant knot in his throat. He didn't want to think about anything at all. Too much pain. It took Link several minutes before he realized what he was doing. In a daze, he had stopped running about the time he reached the market square. He was then sitting against the well in the center of the square.

One thought crossed his mind that made him sick.

'_Why didn't I stay?'_ he thought. He knew he could've helped her. Then she'd still be…

He growled in anger and pulled at his hair.

"Either that or I shouldn't have come back."

"Hey! I was talking to you, wench," a loud shout echoed across the square. Link looked up and watched a scene play in front of him.

'SMAACK'

Link stood up when the man slapped the woman he had been shouting to. She fell to the ground whimpering. The woman wore rags as if she were a maid of some kind. The man however wore a nice little getup that of which triggered something in Link's memory.

"I'll teach you," he growled then grabbed a scythe hanging in a butcher's booth to which everyone nearby gasped and backed away. He lifted it into the air and brought it down, the woman covering her face with her hands. Just when the man thought he was about to make contact with flesh, a resounding '_clang'_ met his ears instead.

"Thought you'd have given all this up by now, Ingo." came a voice right next the man's face.

The woman, seeing that she was out of harm's way for the moment, got up and backed away. The man was shocked by the block of another blade and didn't see her.

"Who are you," he asked not exactly getting a good look at the person. Link grabbed the scythe from his slacked grip and handed it to the bazaar. The man finally turned and spotted Link, who's sword was at his side, if not ready for any sudden moves. The people surrounded for an unknown reason.

"You!"

"You bet it's me," replied Link harshly.

For a second, Ingo looked like he would retort, but he thought about and decided against that plan.

"Link what a pleasant surprise," he said casually. Link was annoyed by his manner.

"Cut the crap Ingo." he snapped sharply and Ingo flinched slightly. Link wasn't satisfied, though. He'd been in a bad mood ever since he heard the recent news. He didn't necessarily feel like dealing with the former ranch-hand at the moment but if he hadn't there would have been another innocent life dispatched from this realm.

"You listen here, boy," he said pointing a finger in Link's face. He was surprised at seeing Ingo try to make himself look over powering after what had just transpired. Link wasn't any more happy than he had been earlier.

"No you listen," cut Link as he pointed his weapon at the throat of the man. He gulped but stood still nonetheless. "I don't' want to see you doing anything like that ever again. You have no power of me, or any hapless 'maid' who comes into your service. I don't care if you didn't change back then, just get away from here as fast you can," Link quieted down to a deep, threatening whisper now, "or you'll see the end of my blade where you might not particularly want it."

Ingo got that part of Link's little message and nodded vigorously, albeit shakily. He backed away and headed back into the inn had been. Link stood there for a second. Then sighed and sheathed his sword. The crowd had long ago dispersed and were going about their business. He overheard a conversation between two gossiping woman that his keen ears picked up.

"It's about time somebody did something about that man. There have been complaints from the inn-keepers from Kakariko saying he's been there too. It's bad enough that there are people like that Ganondorf trying to take over. Glad we got rid of him," here the other woman nodded, "but I guess the world is never perfect…" Link didn't catch the rest as the crowd immersed around them, drowning out their voices. Link sighed again.

The woman he had saved earlier came up to him later. It was a bit awkward but she got her thanks out and Link resumed his brooding by the well. After a while he purchased a room at an inn on the opposite of the square from Ingo's. The reason being that his rear was a bit sore for sitting there for a few good hours. When he entered the room, he removed his weapons and plopped on the bed. He hadn't realized it after finding out what happened to Zelda, but he was pretty exhausted and his eyes fluttered as he dozed off into a dreamless sleep.

--

"Hello?" Vaati said aloud as he slowly opened the creaky door. No one answered him. He opened the door all the way then. The room was empty and a bit trashed. Perfect. That meant it was probably abandoned.

A few minutes earlier, he had been rudely awakened by a series of water droplets on his face. He sought a small shelter so he could get out of the rain and spotted a little blue house of the shoreline of the lake.

He closed the door quietly behind him and looked around. Spotting a lamp he summoned his magic and lit it. It flickered for a moment then stilled, illuminating the small room. It was dusty and dry surprisingly and smelt of rotting fish but it would do.

While it stormed, Vaati went through many plans of what was to come with unwanted comments from his voice.

'_No, no, no, you can't do it like that, you'll get caught for sure.'_

Meaning to say, Vaati was not all happy to hear from the voice again. He knew he wasn't schizophrenic. The voice must have been his imagination.

'_I can hear your thoughts you know,'_ the voice said after explaining how the kidnapping process works. Vaati was getting agitated.

"Why don't you go bother someone else?"

'_I'm not bothering you, I'm trying to help you, seeing as you've failed miserably in past attempts.' _

Vaati sat against a wall as lightning flashed under the door frame. His eyes were closed as he took offense to the voice's statement.

'_If you won't see things my way then I'll just have to force you to,' _came a retort from the voice. Vaati's eyes opened and he let out a brief chuckle.

"Oh ya what're you gonna do?" he just realized that not only had he been listening to the voice, but also talking back to it. He laughed again. He didn't pay any attention to what the voice next said until he felt magical energy course through his body at an electrical pace.

"What are you doing?" he cried as he began losing feeling in his limbs.

'_Taking over,' _the voice replied and Vaati was taken aback.

"Stop!"

But it was no use. Vaati's fears were realized and relived once more. Another prisoner he had become. A prisoner, trapped in his own body.

--

"Hiyaa!"

"Miss," Mikael said casually as he tapped Mari's chin with his own sword with a wink.

"Grr," she growled and continued her parry.

A few fierce minutes of practice and Mari's energy was fading rather quickly. Mikael stopped his blows and circled her as she bent down on her knees catching her breath.

"You still have your whip?" he asked suddenly but still keeping his stance.

"Yup," she said as she reached for her belt. She pulled out her whip and stared at it.

"This isn't much of a weapon, is it?" Mari said looking at Mikael. He looked up and smiled.

"Well it really depends on the wielder. If you're good with the whip, then you would pose somewhat of a threat than if you're not so great with a sword and just swing it aimlessly." "What do mean somewhat of a threat?" Mari asked frowning. "I bet I could beat any opponent down with my whip! And what of this 'Not so good with a sword?'" Mari could hear laughing from inside the closet, and she smiled a bit.

" Like I said, it depends on the wielder," Mikael said with a smile as he pulled out another play-sword. Mari already had her whip unraveled as it lay by her feet.

Mikael lunged at Mari. She was surprised by his sudden attack and was forced to use her arms as a barricade of the thin sword's strikes whipped at her.

"Come now! Use your whip," Mikael backed off and began to circle Mari. Her arms were already feeling the affect of the small sword's left bruises. Mari decided that she would try and attack with the whip. That's what Mikael apparently wanted. She followed his circling and kept her eyes on him. It was then that Mari noticed how strikingly handsome Mikael was. His dark brown, ruffled hair and eyes sky-blue in color were resonating off of his average build. His steps were graceful and smooth. Mari then felt the fluttering in her gut as she tried to keep herself from going red. She smiled and stopped matching his circling. Then turned around and began walking in the other direction, her whip at her side, ready to strike like a snake. Before she could lay an attack, though, Mikael leapt forward and tried to hit Mari with his sword. When his sword hit through the air, missing its target, he stumbled forward in shock. Just then his sword was ripped from his hand and he felt the flimsy metal touch the back of his neck. He gasped in surprise and Mari grinned.

"That was short, and I thought this was going to be hard," Mari was enjoying her victor. She threw Mikael's sword back at him and they began again. They started circling the room like before. Mikael not about to be bested by the same trick twice, ran at Mari this time. Mari was obviously ready though. She stood there, just waiting. When he was upon her, Mari took a flying leap towards the ceiling and flew clear over Mikael. He was about to turn around when he felt a shot of air, like and arrow, fly past his right cheek. Then, again, his sword was taken from him. When Mikael retrieved his sword, they took their places. Mikael was determined to best Mari. To say that she was good with a whip, was an understatement. No matter how many strategies or how many times he tried, Mari was always the winner. After the over one hundredth time, it seemed to Mikael, they were both out of breath and extremely exhausted. Sweat was dripping from Mari's short, light-brown hair. Her pointed ears were strained for nothing in particular and her green eyes, a rare sight for a Hylian, danced with excitement.

"So," Mikael tried to say through short breaths, "I was wrong." Mari stood still but was confused at his words.

"About what?" she said cleanly, as her breathing had steadied.

"You're not good with the whip," he said smiling. Mari started but was still quite.

"You're incredible! That was--awesome!" he managed out just before dropping to one knee in exhaustion. Mari's face lit up as she ran to Mikael, dropping her whip in the process.

"I guess I really took it out of you," Mari said as she sat down next to him. He sat back and set his sword down. He caught his breath in a matter of minutes and began to stand up.

"That's enough for today," he said as he picked up his sword and walked towards the closet full of supplies for sword training. Mari retrieved her whip and put it on her belt again. She felt a wave of gratitude toward her master that moment.

"We should head for the dorms before someone finds us here," Mikael said walking to the door. Mari followed in step and made her way out of the room, only waiting for Mikael to lock the door. Mari started toward the left hallway branching to her own dorm while Mikael went right. Mari was thankful for this because at that moment, she was blushing horribly.

--

As Mari was drifting off to sleep, her mind started to wander. She was very thankful of almost everyone around her. Right now she was living a productive life in the school in which she had grown up. The school that also happened to be inside the very castle of Hyrule town. The school was for gifted and special children or for kids who's parents could pay enough money. Mari was one of those who were gifted. From her first year in grade school, she was noticed as a straight-A student who exceeded all the other children in almost everything and could fluently speak the Hylian language by age three. She couldn't remember much of her youth, but she was told that her parents had died before she came to the castle. She was now fifteen and mastered everything in her classes but writing. She knew the basics but her teacher was hard on her. The thing that she mastered best was sword fighting. Mikael was her personal trainer so she knew him as if he were her brother. Although the status of brother was not what she preferred. Mari had started training with Mikael when she was five. And only just recently had she been allowed her whip. It was her choice. When you turn fifteen, you receive a second weapon of choice along with the sword. Mari thought she would like the whip so she tried it out. She never expected to master it as well as she did.

Mari's thought's drifted onto Mikael. She couldn't believe she was now realizing that she had feelings for him. Like she said before, he was seven years older than her but she loved him all the same. When she thought that, she turned and blushed into her pillow. When she turned back around and faced the ceiling, her eyes were closed and she began to fall asleep.

--

'_What's this place?'_ Mari thought. She was standing in the middle of a field, much like the clearing in front of the castle that she had lessons in sometimes. It was dark.

'_Why would I be in the middle of Hyrule field at night?'_ she thought to herself as she began to confusedly trek toward her bed. But when she turned around to face the castle that she knew would be there, she stopped. Fear gripped her heart as she witnessed a life-changing event. There was the castle…only it was in flames. She ran toward her temporary home without even thinking. As she ran she saw something to the left of her. A huge, dark lump was on the ground. She slowed down a bit, but when she realized it was a person, she changed course and sped up. She knelt down next to the person and saw that it was a man. She turned him over to face her. But when she did she wished she hadn't. Her fear and tears that were created because of the sight of her burning home were set free at the sight if who the person was.

It was Mikael.

There was dried blood on the side of his head and on his clothing. Most of his hair and clothing were sliced where there was blood. His eyes were closed and he didn't move or react at all at Mari's touch. When it was confirmed, and Mari knew it, she sat next to the body of her master and friend and cried.

Before Mari could see or do anything, there was a bright flash of white light, that could've easily blinded anything in its path, that stilled and quieted all of her surroundings.

--

Mari sat up abruptly in bed thinking of how redundant this was. She quickly calmed herself down and refused to submit to the dream's eccentricity. She had after all had that dream every night for the past year. She knew it meant something, but she kept it to herself. Every so often, Mari would go for a walk to rid her mind of the terrible nightmare. Tonight was one of those nights. She quietly dressed in her usual clothes; a long-sleeve shirt that had a green torso, brown sleeves, a button down front , a light brown shirt underneath, and regular light brown pants that matched the color of her undershirt. She just took a brush to her hair to get it out of her eyes. After slipping on her shoes, she fastened on a cloak and headed for the door.

She took her usual stroll down the class room hallways and toward the back gate. There she could make her way through the gardens and around to the market. During the day, the market was usually full of bustling shoppers. But at this time of night, no one but guards and stray dogs roamed the streets. She waved at the guards whom she met on her other outings. Her mind was fresh along with the cool night air that occasionally whisked around her face. As she walked around aimlessly, Mari realized that she was nearing a side street that was a short cut to the stables. She made up her mind that she would visit her best friend, Trysting. She would occasionally and tonight seemed like a good night as any to see her. Trysting wouldn't mind how late it was considering she was a horse.

Mari took the side road and eyed the barren alley with nothing less than a grin. The long alley's patience would give a bit of time to think over the night's events. That, though, was something she had not wanted to do.

She began to sweat and a dropping sensation in her gut made her frown. The night was abnormally cold for the weather. She thought it must've been last night's rain. As that thought entered her mind, she stepped in a puddle of water.

"Oh," she breathed as she almost stumbled forward. The ice cold water immersed inside her shoe and she shivered.

"That's nice," she whispered but then she held her breath as a foreign voice drifted towards her from down the alley.

"What was that?"

"Don't try and change the subject!"

"But I heard something," that was Mikael's voice. Mari kept still, her foot still in the puddle.

"You listen here," the other voice continued. It sounded vaguely familiar. "I told you before you can't warm up to the prisoners. We need them for the army. They have to be emotionless. Then we would have the perfect army. We would be emotionless." The guy was power hungry, Mari knew just from that sentence. With the familiarity of the voice and his statement, Mari had a bad feeling. She wanted to get away.

"You speak of them as if they weren't human," she heard Mikael say. She smiled at his warmth. She hadn't realized how much they had together. But with that thought, a sinking feeling and distant memories rested on her mind. The second voice chuckled, sending chills down Mari's spine.

"Mikael, what do you think they are?" the second voice asked.

"They are people with feelings. They may have made bad decisions but they still have souls. And M-"

"They have made bad decisions and that's what put them in their position in the first place. They live in luxury do they not?"

"I can't say the same for Mari."

Mari's stomach dropped. She was confused beyond all reason now. Something was amiss here and the other person was going to cause some damage.

"She's our best fighter, we need her."

"She has done nothing to earn imprisonment!"

"Quiet."

Mari felt hot tears well up. She needed to get out of there quickly.

"This is besides the point. You need to stop trying to get close to her. Don't tell her untrue things about her family. That will give her feelings to eat at her."

"She wanted to know. I wasn't gonna tell her that her mother left her for her siblings and that half-wit of a father and that she died at his hands for her children. Do you know how much that would break a person."

'_Children,' _thought Mari as she stopped and strain to listen.

"Better that than false hope."

"How can you say that?"

"She's our soldier. We need her," came the second voice. It was then after digging through her memories that she recognized the voice. The King's right hand man, his advisor, Victir Lee, was planning to create an army out of the prisoners in Hyrule castle. There wasn't any surprise there but with Mikael being in on it, her head began to ache with many different emotions. Most of all anger.

She stepped back careful to not step in the water and began to run in the opposite direction. She had heard enough.

She took the long way to the stables. As she reached it, she spotted someone petting one of the horses. She was little more than surprised to see Mikael there. She didn't know weather to approach him or not. She stood there in indecision breathing hard from running. But her verdict was reached when Mikael turned and saw her. She was still breathing hard and tears were glued to her face from the cold wind. She quickly wiped them away and began to turn around, but Mikael stopped her.

"Wait," he said as he caught up to her. She stopped. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she replied as she wiped away another tear.

"If you need anything I'm here okay," he looked into her glazed eyes. She nodded.

"Okay. My gosh you must be freezing. I think you should come inside." He made his way toward the castle but stopped when he noticed Mari did not follow.

"What the matter?" he asked.

"I," she began as an icy tone entered her voice. "I thought you weren't supposed to warm up to me."

Mikael's face drained of all colour.


End file.
